Rejected Mate and Following Fate

Chapter 67: You're Home

"You won't be wanting sex from me again then, huh? I mean …. I'm not that kind of guy anymore… no mark, equals, no mating. Even when the haze comes." He shrugs playfully and I shake my head at him and make a 'hmmm' noise as though I'm really considering it. I like the teasing, it's cute, and I like Colton's playful cheeky face all the more, now that I have no more doubts about us.

To be honest the first time was maybe quick, and I'm suffering a little from it, but I definitely want to do that again and explore how much better it can be. I always heard the first time is nothing compared to when you master it, and have it a few times, which means I am in for a world of amazing sex, because Colton has skills. I don't want to miss out on that and besides, can't have this sex pot unmarked when the haze moves in. Femmes might kidnap him from me and hold him hostage until they get their fill. I need to mark my man.

"Such threats should be punished, Mr. Santo. I might just go to sleep." I smile as wickedly as I can at him and cast him a raised eyebrow smirk. Warm and cozy in the security that this is real, and he's mine.

"Go ahead, I'm kinda beat. I could use the sleep." He folds his arms behind his head casually, as though he really doesn't care at all, and closes his eyes. It riles me enough to slap him on the peck with impulsive anger. Sudden fury that he might not be joking, and it ignites an internal minor temper tantrum.

"Hey!!" It's real outrage, and that chuckle he expels is an instant dampening tool. Colton opens his eyes and grins at me, chasing away any doubt that he was not playing, and he strokes his thumbs over my thighs. Cooling my fire and bringing me back to heel with a taming touch.

"Stop messing and make me your bitch already. You know I love you, and this... it's holding up everything else. Mark me, woman, before I smother you against me and make you do it." There's a tone of seriousness in that, even if it's in good humor, and I know I'm only really delaying because I'm© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

nervous about this final step. It's been a lot, and I'm finally going to do it. Not just mark him but unbind something I've been trying to master for weeks, and that's terrifying to me.

When I bite him, and taste his blood within me, then it finalizes everything and I'll not only get the last memories we have of being apart in a fresh imprinting, but a chance to be able to harness the powers I possess completely. I'll be Luna, just like that, form one bite, whether I'm ready or not. Whether I'm going to be a good Luna or not. It's a big step and I am not ready for any of it, but I need to take a leap of faith.

Fear isn't going to make this easier, it's only going to make me work myself up into complete anxiety and make him think I really have changed my mind. I lean down, inhale slowly to calm the inner trepidation, close my eyes, elongate my wolf teeth and blindly sink into his peck muscle, in an area I aimed for that's similar to where he marked me.

There's a moment of complete abhorrence, as I bite the man I adore, sinking horribly into soft, salty flesh, hating that I'm inflicting pain and wounding him. The taste of his blood almost makes me gag, as it fills my mouth, choking me with its consistency, and metallic saltiness, and my fangs sink into tissue that's both warm and smooth as hot liquid, thick and repugnant in aftertaste hits my tongue. It's awful, but yet, I'm almost completely distracted a moment later when I'm yanked away from what I'm doing by a mind being filled with thoughts, feelings, memories, images, and whizzing moments of time spinning around my head. Pulling me back. Just like the first time we ever imprinted, only with less ferocity, less shock at the assault, it's a do-over, only with more potency in other ways.

I lose sense of space and time as it happens, and I'm not even aware I've pulled my teeth out of him until his hand catches me by the wrist, and then the other, to steady me so I don't fall. I'm breathless, feel like I've just been hit by a train for the second time in my life, and the dizziness sends me reeling sideways, unable to hold myself taught. The room spins and slumps as Colton braces me, and gently helps me lie down on the bed as reality comes back before he pulls me in against him and wraps me in his arms.

I take a moment to recover and come back to the land of the living where my focus clears from hazy darkness, back to reality. Unlike the first time we imprinted, this time has a wave of surreal and dreamlike that lingers, and the taste of his blood trickles down my throat, warming me, filling me up with insane emotions, before finally fading away to a gentle stroke down my legs. It's almost like a mental orgasm, with less severity and I blink my eyes open to find Colton pushed up against me, doing the same thing. Nose to nose, we both open our eyes almost in unison before he breaks into a smile and kills the eerie silence.

"That was … interesting. I feel drugged." His voice is low and husky, and he looks utterly exhausted now. Dark shadows under his eyes which are a little lackluster in color, even in this dim lighting. It's mirrored in me, and my body has given up any hope of getting back out of bed anytime soon.

That's it, exactly what it feels like. As though we've been inhaling powerful vapors that render you completely relaxed, and happy giddy, so that you lay around chilling like hippy stoners. Satisfied in every way, and you want to lie here and revel in it. I feel light, and free, yet delirious in happiness, as though no worries are left inside of my brain for the time being. It's like a chemical high, and it leaves you temporarily content with everything in life.

"Me too." I sigh, fully sated, curling up in his tight embrace as he slides his arms around me firmly and pulls my body to fit his from toes to noses. His skin on mine, close contact in the best way, sharing air, and yet this feels completely natural and so right. Like I was always meant to be wrapped up with him. I have nowhere else in the world I would rather be than here, and I want to stay this way forever. Heart healed, soul complete, and now I can sleep safe and secure beside him, and never know that kind of loneliness again.

Colton reaches down and pulls the sheets over us, up to my shoulder, and reaches up over his head to press something attached to the headboard. All the lights of the room go off together in unison, every single lamp, and dim glow, leaving us only illuminated from behind him by the moon coming in through the window as the curtains sit open. The darkness makes this seem more intimate somehow and I lay

my head against his chest, inhaling the unique smell that's only him and it makes me feel complete. Content. Home.

"So much for reading to your mom." I point out with a soft almost inaudible tone, smiling as his arm comes back around me. He nuzzles his chin on top of my head as he gets comfy then yawns, stifling it with a fist over his mouth. I can feel the waves of genuine fatigue washing my way from him and how desperately he needs to sleep. This was a big thing, between us, and even though we should mark the occasion by staying up and talking about what this was… how momentous it was for both of us, I really want to experience sleeping in his arms and waking up to him in the morning, to start a real life as mates.

"I'm sure she'll forgive me, considering I not only marked my mate but restored the powers that were taken. That deserves sleep, in bed, with my new Luna in my arms." He yawns again, straining his voice and then buries his face back in my hair with a deep exhale.

"My powers!" I squeak, and shoot up to a sitting position, forgetting all about being too tired to move, extending my hands and staring at them as though they will suddenly look completely different, and I would somehow now. I mean, I didn't feel any kind of anything that was possibly, specifically power related, but then again, what would that even feel like?

I blink at them, turning them over in the dark until I catch Colton looking me oddly. Focused fully on my face with that hint of amused adoration I sometimes catch with him. Colton looks happy, and that makes me all bubbly and gooey inside, because I know I did that for him.

"What is it you expect to see?" he laughs at me, and pulls himself to sit and prop against the headboard to watch me, giving in to the fact I'm not about to let him sleep, and I shrug.

"I don't know, maybe glowing, or something like…" I flick my hand purposely towards the cabinet across the other side of the room, nonchalantly, not really sure what I'm doing, and then shriek in utter

surprise when the contents on the top swipe off to the floor in a clattering crescendo that almost makes me have a heart attack. I gasp in shock, stare at the mess, and then my hands before turning to him, like a kid who found a dollar in the street.

"Like that?" Colton looks impressed, and not the slightest bit mad I sent a whole array of bottles and whatever's onto the floor, making a huge unsightly mess. I gawp at it, and gently make the same motion at the already broken remains. Willing myself to do it again, and squeal when they are spread across the floor. By about a foot, as though an invisible brush swept them away. It's almost like breathing. I can willfully extend my touch and move things in ways I could never dream of before, and it excites me on a whole other level. My insides bubbling like a little mini volcano, and I start to jiggle on the bed, unable to conceal my glee. The vapor energy, or whatever it is, it's clear now, and I can't see it the way I did in the forest, because I'm no longer battling a spell trying to bind it.

"It's your turn!" I bounce at him, grabbing his hand in utter excitement and yank him a little, dying to see whatever it is he's now unleashed. Maybe he might have Sierra's blue glow, which would be totally cool, and maybe a bit of a turn on, but Colton shakes his head at me. Despite my juvenile attempts to haul him up with zero success.

"I don't even know what it is I'm meant to have, so maybe that can await my mother waking up. Baby, it's late, can we please sleep before I pass out and wake up in a tornado because you get carried away with being able to move things with your mind." Colton tugs me back to him, despite my second of protest, and I fall against his chest, nestled in the crook of his arm. Relenting when his warm touch reminds me how good it is to be held by him, and I exhale noisily. Huffing because I just found I have a new toy and 'daddy' Colton is telling me to put it away and go to bed.

"We have so much still to figure out and do. We have all the time in the world and a minimum of two days before my mom might wake up. Can we concentrate on us, and this for now, and sleep…God, I need sleep. In case I didn't mention, I haven't really slept all that much since you left, and when I did, I

dreamt about you, and woke up feeling like shit. One good night with you in my bed, might be the difference between a good day tomorrow and my strangling you to death for keeping me awake till stupid o'clock." He mock catches me by the throat and gently squeezes, while smiling at me, and gets a scowl in response for the pretend threat, his eyes half open and he does look exhausted.

"Nice, Colton, so romantic, and loving. Is this what marking you brings out?" I point out with sass and get mauled with kisses scattered across my eyes and forehead for the effort. He drags me with him into the sheets, hauling us down to lay flat and brings me back to my previous snuggled up position in his arms, where he has my nose against his, except this time a vice grip so I can't go anywhere.

"My Luna, you're mine… we have so much shit still to get through and deal with. Let's just sleep on it and see what tomorrow brings. You aren't just Alora Dennison of the long-forgotten Whyte pack anymore. You're Luna Alora Santo, my mate, my heart, and soul, and we have a whole pack relying on us to get through whatever is coming our way. We have so many questions they will want answered over the next days, and not to mention, we need to present you to your pack. You're one of us now." That voice of sense and reason and a reminder that this little bubble of ours exists only in this room. There is a bigger world, and issues out there, we have yet to face.

"You're right. It's easy to forget the threats when it seems so safe in here with you. Your mom… the attacks, the future. It's all still so unclear, except this one thing. We're never going to be torn apart again. I love you." I relinquish the fight and slide my arms around him as best I can, while laying on my side, curling up against him, skin to skin, and close my eyes to absorb how good he feels. No awkwardness, no strange residue embarrassment from having sex for the first time. Just this connection, and sense of home that he gives me, and makes me feel like everything is going to be okay as long as he is by my side. We can face whatever is coming, with him, with the pack, and with whatever gifts we just released.

"I love you more. You're home, and I intend to keep you by my side forever more." Colton kisses me on the forehead before snuggling in close, and the heavy exhale signals he's done with talking and looking

to sleep with his mate in his arms.

For the first time, of the first day, of our future lives, truly together.

End of Book 1 - Book 2 is available